Parliament resumes today with less action

Staff Writer | Monday July 5, 2010 00:00

It is expected that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Margaret Nasha will receive letters from at least four Members of Parliament (MPs) who are crossing the floor from the ruling Botswana Democratic Party to join the opposition BMD.

The current arrangement has forced some BDP MPs to sit on the other side of the House where the opposition sits but with recent defections, the BDP MPs will sit on one side facing their opponents. At least eight ruling party MPs sit on the Speaker's left hand side and the number will be reduced to four today.

The number of opposition MPs has gone up to 17 and with more defections expected, the BMD is likely to be the main opposition party before end of the year, taking over from Botswana National Front (BNF), that has only six MPs.

An officer at the public relatins unit confirmed on Friday afternoon that the sitting arrangement in the House has not changed yet adding that even the Speaker still has not received letters of floor crossing from any MPs.